a. Biography
Buya Yahya (Buya Yahya Zainul Ma’arif ) was born in Blitar from three siblings. Now he has had two sons and two daughters. At present Buya Yahya and family live at LPD AL-Bahjah Complex JL. Pangeran Cakrabuana No. 179 Block Gudang Air Kelurahan Sendang Kecamatan Sumber Cirebon.

The coming of Buya Yahya Zainul Maarif, known as Buya Yahya to Cirebon in the end of 2005 and early 2006 for enforcing the duty to lead preparatory school to students before studying at Al-Ahgaff University in Yaman from his teacher Professor Doctor Al-Habib Abdullah bin Muhammad Baharun.

In the end of 2006 Buya Yahya came before to his teacher in Yaman. Since that day Buya Yahya was permitted to deliver da’wah at society. Buya Yahya begins to deliver da’wah from zero, no forcefulness and transparent. With full of patience Buya Yahya come to small mosque till eased by Allah SWT to open ta’lim councils at big mosque in Cirebon and others.

The assembly that Buya Yahya guided is named Al-Bahjah assembly, It is same with the name of Islamic Boarding School that he guided.

b. The History of Buya Yahya Study
Before going to Yaman Buya Yahya finished studying at primary till Junior high school in Cirebon. On the other hand he took Islamic education at Madsrasah Diniyah led by a religious teacher KH. Imron Mahbub in Blitar. After that he continued his studying at Darullughah Wadda’wah Islamic Boarding school in Bangil Pasuruan East Java guided by Al-Murobbi Al-Habib Hasan Bin Ahmad Baharun in 1988 till 1993. In 1993 till 1996 he taught at Darullughah Wadda’wah Islamic Boarding school in Bangil Pasuruan as his dedication to the place where Buya Yahya had ever studied there. In 1996 he went to Al-Ahgaff University commanded by his teacher Al-Murobbi Al-Habib Hasan Baharun till the end of 2005.

From Habib Salim Asysyatiri, Buya Yahya had ever taken some subjects such as fiqih, aqidah, ulumul quran, and mustholah hadits. Although Buya Yahya didn’t live at Islamic Boarding School (Rubath) of Habib Salim Assyathri, Buya Yahya got a lot of opportunities to study from him because in the morning Habib Salim taught at campus. In the afternoon till evening Buya Yahya has got special time for almost two years to study from him four times a week since ashar till isya at Rubath Tarim.

Hadits and his hadits knowledge was taken from some teachers like Dr. Ismail Khadim Al Aisawi and specially his ushul fiqih knowledge took from some experts such as Syekh Muhammad Al-Hafid Assyingqithi, Syekh Muhammad Amin Assyingqiti, Dr. Mahmud Assulaimani and Syekh Abdullah Walad Aslam Assyingqiti. All of them are Syingqiti-Mortania and they are muftis from Maliki Madzab.

His Arabic language knowledge was taken from Syekh Muhammad Alhafid Assyingqiti, he studied the last book Thurah Uquduljuman in the balaghoh science, thurroh lamiyatul afal in the shorof science and thurroh alfiyah ibnu malik on nahwu science that was Alfiyah ibnu malik with additional became 2800 nadhom. His comparison fiqih knowledge was taken from a religious Prof. DR. Ahmad Ali Toha Arroyyan mesir from maliki madhab

Buya yahya has ever taught in yaman for 4 years at faculty of tarbiyah and Dirosah Islamiyah especially for female Al-Ahgaff university. Now buya yahya is active to da’wah at society and guides Al – Bahjah Islamic boarding school centered in Cirebon west java and Al-Bahjah council spread in archipelago and abroad. On the other hand, he always takes care of the activity with his students at Islamic Boarding School.

c. Buya yahya teachers

Buya Yahya Murobbi Teachers who influence his study are:

The first is Al-Murobbi Al-Mursyid Al-Habib Hasan bin Ahmad Baharun as the leader and founder of Darullughoh Waddakwah Islamic Boarding School Bangil Pasuruan Jawa Timur.

The second is Al-Murobbi Almursyid Al-Habib Abdullah bin Muhammad Baharun as the rector of Al-Ahgaff Universsity Yaman.

Buya Yahya has science flow from the clear teachers. Besides them, Buya Yahya has many teachers, they are:

II. AL-Bahjah Profile
Al-Bahjah is an assembly that founded by Buya yahya since in the beginning of 2006 . It was formalized as the institution of da’wah development in 2010 by Prof.Dr. Al-Habib Abdullah bin Muhammad Baharun. he is the rector of Al-Ahgaf Yaman University.

Al-Bahjah is chosen as the name of Islamic boarding school and assembly guided by Buya Yahya. The reason is based on the sense of light or sheen glow. Hoped this Islamic boarding school will be the truly lightness and guidance for people of Prophet Muhammad SAW. The word development means as the du’a and hopes in order that this institution is always efflorescent and becomes the motivation of others.

The institution of Al-Bahjah da’wah development is an institution that focused on the various of religious da’wah sector such as ta’lim assembly, salaf Islamic boarding school, formal education, da’wah media of economic institution, social and health institution.

a. The Location of Islamic Boarding School
Al-Bahjah Islamic boarding school is located at kelurahan sendang no. 179 block. Gudang air kec. Sumber kab. Cirebon West Java.

b. The Beginning of Founding Al-Bahjah Islamic Boarding School.
Like the other muftis, building an Islamic Boarding School is not the main goal, but the first and main purpose is how to deliver Rasulullah SAW da’wah , so that founding an Islamic boarding school is a must. At first the coming of Buya Yahya to Cirebon in early 2006 was to conduct a duty from Al-Ahgaff University to build the Preparatory school of Ahgaff University in Indonesia. Based on the evaluation of effectiveness problem of preparatory school, that program has proceeded for a year only. Finally that program is given back to Yaman. Therefore Buya Yahya asks permission to Al-Habib Abdullah Bin Muhammad Baharun to start da’wah in Cirebon . Because of blessing and doa from him and other Buya Yahya teachers, it is absolutely eased by Allah SWT to realize his da’wah.

In the second year of Buya Yahya existence in Cirebon, he has opened some ta’lim councils at several large mosques around Cirebon town. Da’wah effort is always developed until there are some demands from moslem people to board out their children at Buya Yahya house although in the first time Buya Yahya refuses it because he still uses a borrowed house to da’wah in Cirebon. Having had a rented house not far from his house at Karang Jalak Cirebon buya yahya begins to accept some students. Despite not all of students who come to study directly accepted but by looking at the capacity of house is more than enough so the enrollment of students are held with istikhoroh. Then the next year is felt that the place is full of students, one house is filled by twelve boy students and the other is filled by ten girl students.

Based on that condition makes buya yahya and his close friends that live in Cirebon or outside Cirebon to see about looking for a larger place as the central of institution of Al-Bahjah Islamic Boarding School. At last they choose a place named kelurahan Sendang Kec. Sumber Kab. Cirebon. It is located in the middle of rice field far from society settlement. Precisely on June 2008 the building of Islamic Boarding School was begun. After less than one a half year, precisely on 10th January 2010 Islamic Boarding School formally was placed by girl and boy students and formalized by Al-Habib Abdullah Bin Muhammad Baharun from Yaman.

Now, Al-Bahjah Islamic Boarding School has just been at four places. Al-bahjah 1,2, al-bahjah girl is in Cirebon, and Al-Bahjah 3 is in tulungagung and the other is in process.

Al-Bahjah Islamic boarding School has 2 programs, they are:

Tafaqquh and Tahfidz (Diniyyah Murni) all of the funding of the students is free and guaranteed by the institution.

Formal education with the stressing of Tahfidzul Qur’an that guided with program specially and all of funding is guaranteed by the students.

c. The Basic Of Founding Islamic Boarding School
In order to be a part in creating the place of continuer candidate of Rasul SAW da’wah that uses the principle of Ahlu sunnah wal jamaah as’ariyah sufiyah.

d. The Official Announcement of Islamic Boarding School.
The official announcement of Al-Bahjah Islamic Boarding School is held on 10thJanuary 2010 formalized by Al-Habib Abdullah Bin Muhammad Baharun that together with the official announcement of Al- Bahjah mosque and da’wah radio of radio qu-fm broadcasted from Al-Bahjah Islamic Boarding School.

e. The First Building of Islamic Boarding School
The first building is a small hut and large hall with size of 15 X 25 M that used for versatile room started from weekly ta’lim assembly and the room for students. The next is mosque with size of 15 X 15 M and 8 rooms for students boarding. After that the building house of teachers with 20 bathrooms and the studio of Radio-qu fm.

After getting the permission from al-Habib Abdullah Bin Muhammad Baharun to build an Islamic boarding school, there is a special message from him in order to be easy in building it. The message is no asking donation from any one, but started from the simplicity and sober. Because the guidance of Al-Habib Abdullah Bin Muhammad baharun, the building of islamic boarding school is absolutely easy without any obstacles. With blessing from Buya Yahya teachers, Allah sends the people who want to build until the Islamic boarding school can be placed. Buya Yahya never feels how difficult to look for the builder and carpenter is.Because the Islamic Boarding School has just been formalized on 10th January 2010, so the temporary evaluation shows that both the Development of ta’lim assembly and the students are increasing from year to year.

g. The Origin of Students
The students of Al-Bahjah Islamic Boarding School especially come from part of big towns such as , Bandung, Bogor, Surabaya, Pontianak, Bangka, lampung, even from abroad like America, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

h. The System of Education
The Education system is salaf education , it means that the students are more introduced to religion science.

i. Visions and Mission

Visions
Bulding anoble moral based on qur’an and Rosululloh SAW sunat

mission
1. To apply the moral values of qur’an and message of Rosululloh wal jama’ah asyariyah maturidiyah, shufiyah, and must have madzhab
2. Creating islamic da;wah in all aspect of society life
3. Creating the self-independent of economic, education, culture based of Islamic foundation
4. Creating the people who memorize Al qur’an, and becoming the Islamic theologian that will be the representative of the change of glory civilization
5. Making the professional candidates and entrepreneur that have faith and takua to be islam struggler
6. To optimize and master the use of information technology media as the power to encourage the struggle of islam da’wah.
j. Extracurricular
Extracurricular is more guided to practice da’wah at radio, schools, offices, and ta’lim assembly.